BookletChart™ French Frigate Shoals NOAA Chart 19401

A reduced-scale NOAA nautical chart for small boaters When possible, use the full-size NOAA chart for navigation.

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Published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Ocean Service Office of Coast Survey

www.NauticalCharts.NOAA.gov 888-990-NOAA

What are Nautical Charts?

Nautical charts are a fundamental tool of marine navigation. They show water depths, obstructions, buoys, other aids to navigation, and much more. The information is shown in a way that promotes safe and efficient navigation. Chart carriage is mandatory on the commercial ships that carry America’s commerce. They are also used on every Navy and Coast Guard ship, fishing and passenger vessels, and are widely carried by recreational boaters.

What is a BookletChart?

This BookletChart is made to help recreational boaters locate themselves on the water. It has been reduced in scale for convenience, but otherwise contains all the information of the full-scale nautical chart. The bar scales have also been reduced, and are accurate when used to measure distances in this BookletChart. See the Note at the bottom of page 5 for the reduction in scale applied to this chart.

Whenever possible, use the official, full scale NOAA nautical chart for navigation. Nautical chart sales agents are listed on the Internet at http://www.NauticalCharts.NOAA.gov.

This BookletChart does NOT fulfill chart carriage requirements for regulated commercial vessels under Titles 33 and 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Notice to Mariners Correction Status

This BookletChart has been updated for chart corrections published in the U.S. Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Weekly Notice to Mariners, and, where applicable, the Canadian Coast Guard Notice to Mariners. Additional chart corrections have been made by NOAA in advance of their publication in a Notice to Mariners. The last Notices to Mariners applied to this chart are listed in the Note at the bottom of page 7. Coast Pilot excerpts are not being corrected.

For latest Coast Pilot excerpt visit the Office of Coast Survey website at http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/searchbychart.php?chart=19401.

(Selected Excerpts from Coast Pilot) French Frigate Shoals, about 85 miles W from Necker Island, is a crescent-shaped atoll about 17 miles long in a NNW direction. The atoll consists of a coral reef with a number of small sand islets on it, and is flanked by a volcanic rock and numerous coral heads and reefs. It is home to many sea birds, seals, turtles and other fish and wildlife all protected by Federal Law. The other islands are of little assistance in navigation due to their constantly changing size and shape

and low elevations. Shark Island has been observed to be particularly unreliable in this regard. The crescent reef is double, and the outer and inner arcs bound a lagoon. At its midpoint the windward reef lies about 8 miles from a line joining the tips of the crescent; the leeward reef is about 5 miles from this line. The windward reef is nearly continuous and can be plainly seen in the daytime for a considerable distance by vessels approaching from the N, E or SE. The sea practically always breaks over the reef, and during the few times it is not breaking, the green shoal water inside the reef is seen in ample time to avoid danger. The bottom slopes uniformly from the reef to the 100-fathom curve 1 to 2 miles off, and there are no known dangers from N through E to S of the windward reef. The leeward or inner reef, however, is broken in many places and in normal weather is seldom marked by breakers. The lagoon between the reefs is very foul with numerous coral heads, some just under the surface of the water. La Perouse Pinnacle (23°46'08"N., 166°15'39"W.), a volcanic rock about 60 yards long and 20 yards wide, lies about midway between the tips of the crescent and W of the leeward arc of the reef. The rock is so steep and rugged that is almost inaccessible. From a distance its guano-coated outline resembles a brig under sail. A small detached lava rock about 9 feet high lies off the W side of the pinnacle. The points of the crescent reef, as indicated by the ends of the line of breakers, bear about 170° and 310° from La Perouse Pinnacle. La Perouse Pinnacle is reported to be the first object sighted, generally, when approaching the atoll, and that it is usually picked up on radar at 12 to 15 miles. Shark Island, the northwesternmost of the sand islets, lies 6 miles NW of La Perouse Pinnacle. A coral reef fringes the island. Tern Island, about 2 miles ENE of Shark Island, is marked by two 40-foot towers, low concrete buildings, a wooden telegraph pole, and four large trees. The island and buildings are visible at 8 and 5 miles, respectively. There are no facilities on the island. East Island, 3 miles ENE of La Perouse Pinnacle, is a low sand bar 600 yards long in a NW direction and about 100 yards across. Reefs that are awash most of the time extend a mile W and 0.2 mile S from the island; the S reef seldom breaks. A coral head that sometimes breaks is 0.6 mile S of East Island. NE and E of the island are numerous coral heads/reefs. Extreme caution must be exercised when navigating in the vicinity of these islets because of the numerous coral heads. Channels.–The principal approach to Tern Island is through a natural channel that leads to a lagoon and anchorage SE of the island. Entry into the lagoon is through an opening in the reef indicated by the 3¼-fathom sounding in 23°51'09"N., 166°16'27"W., on chart 19402. Mariners are advised that attempting entry into the lagoon requires extensive local knowledge, good sea and weather conditions, and the sound judgment to recognize when conditions allow committing the vessel to a course through the reef opening. Anchorages.–The best holding ground SW of French Frigate Shoals is in depths of 13 to 15 fathoms, sand bottom; in lesser depths the bottom is mostly coral. There are no all-weather anchorages for large vessels, but the conformation of the reef is such that some protection can be found from choppy seas and ground swell. Small vessels can find good protection from most weather behind the shoals and coral heads.

U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center 24 hour Regional Contact for Emergencies

RCC Honolulu Commander

14th CG District (808) 535-3333 Honolulu, HI

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Lateral System As Seen Entering From Seaward on navigable waters except Western Rivers

PORT SIDE ODD NUMBERED AIDS

GREEN LIGHT ONLY FLASHING (2)

PREFERRED CHANNEL NO NUMBERS – MAY BE LETTERED

PREFERRED CHANNEL TO STARBOARD

TOPMOST BAND GREEN

PREFERRED CHANNEL NO NUMBERS – MAY BE LETTERED

PREFERRED CHANNEL TO PORT

TOPMOST BAND RED

STARBOARD SIDE EVEN NUMBERED AIDS

RED LIGHT ONLY FLASHING (2)

FLASHING FLASHING OCCULTING GREEN LIGHT ONLY RED LIGHT ONLY OCCULTING QUICK FLASHING QUICK FLASHING ISO COMPOSITE GROUP FLASHING (2+1) COMPOSITE GROUP FLASHING (2+1) ISO

"1"

Fl G 6s

G "9"

Fl G 4s

GR "A"

Fl (2+1) G 6s

RG "B"

Fl (2+1) R 6s

"2"

Fl R 6s

8

R "8" Fl R 4s

LIGHT

G

C "1"

LIGHTED BUOY

G "5"

GR "U"

GR

C "S"

RG

N "C"

RG "G"

LIGHT

6

R

N "6"

LIGHTED BUOY

R

"2"

CAN DAYBEACON

CAN NUN NUN

DAYBEACON

For more information on aids to navigation, including those on Western Rivers, please consult the latest USCG Light List for your area. These volumes are available online at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov

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C U 5

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VHF Marine Radio channels for use on the waterways:Channel 6 – Inter-ship safety communications.Channel 9 – Communications between boats and ship-to-coast.Channel 13 – Navigation purposes at bridges, locks, and harbors.Channel 16 – Emergency, distress and safety calls to Coast Guard and others, and to initiate calls to other

vessels. Contact the other vessel, agree to another channel, and then switch.Channel 22A – Calls between the Coast Guard and the public. Severe weather warnings, hazards to navigation and safety warnings are broadcast here.Channels 68, 69, 71, 72 and 78A – Recreational boat channels.

Getting and Giving Help — Signal other boaters using visual distress signals (flares, orange flag, lights, arm signals); whistles; horns; and on your VHF radio. You are required by law to help boaters in trouble. Respond to distress signals, but do not endanger yourself.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Distress Call Procedures

• Make sure radio is on.• Select Channel 16.• Press/Hold the transmit button.• Clearly say: “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.”• Also give: Vessel Name and/or Description;Position and/or Location; Nature of Emergency; Number of People on Board.• Release transmit button.• Wait for 10 seconds — If no responseRepeat MAYDAY call.

HAVE ALL PERSONS PUT ON LIFE JACKETS!

This Booklet chart has been designed for duplex printing (printed on front and back of one sheet). If a duplex option is not available on your printer, you may print each sheet and arrange them back-to-back to allow for the proper layout when viewing.

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